'm no good at anything else."

"No good! Fiddlesticks!" exclaimed Dorothy.

"True, my dear! Have you ever seen me top at an exam., or even second?
Why, I only get 'excellent' once in a blue moon, and then I'm so
astonished, I think it must be a mistake! I'm not picked out to play at
school concerts, or recite, or act, or show off in any way. Oh, don't
think I'm complaining! I don't crave for notoriety. There's nothing I
detest worse than having to perform in public. But pressed flowers are
different. I can do them in private at home, and let them be seen
without exhibiting myself. I wish I could find a few more specimens. I
believe I've picked everything that's to be had at Latchworth."

"Miss Carter promised she'd take us a botanizing ramble some afternoon,"
said Dorothy.

"So she did. We must keep her to her word. Let us try to catch her now
in the corridor, and see if we can get her to name a definite day. Ask
Mavie and Grace to come too. They're the keenest next to us."

The little group of enthusiasts waylaid the mistress as she came out of
the library, and, reminding her of the projected expedition, nailed her
to the point.

"Very well, we will decide on next Saturday afternoon, provided, of
course, that it's a fine day," replied Miss Carter.

"And the place?" asked Alison.

"I think we can't do better than Beechfield. We could walk along the
embankment to Longacre, and take the train back from there. We ought to
find plenty of flowers on the way."

"And we might stop and have tea somewhere," suggested Alison, who was
determined to make an outing of it.

"Yes, so we might. There's an inn by the river about half-way to
Longacre, and several cottages that cater for visitors."

"We can start quite early, I suppose?"

"I'll look up the railway guide, and pin a programme on the notice board
to-morrow."

"There, you see!" said Alison, as the deputation returned in triumph,
"there's nothing like sticking to a thing. I believe in people keeping
promises when they make them."

"We shall have a ripping afternoon. Miss Carter is ever so jolly."

"And I expect she'll be jollier still when she's 'off duty'."

Notwithstanding the tempting nature of the programme, only ten put down
their names for the botanizing expedition. In summer there were many
diversions for Saturday's holiday--the tennis season was in full swing,
and the girls had attractions at their own homes that outweighed a
country ramble.

"It'